What are Tennessee Democrats' path forward?

[Suburbia]

They lost winnable seats in the U.S. Senate and governorship in 2018.

Two white Southern moderate Democrats. VP material in the 2020s for a younger liberal. Lost.

What's next? Appeal to the suburbs and rural areas outside Nashville, Memphis and Knoxville by talking about jobs, jobs, healthcare?

Should Bernie campaign there?

[Politician]

They don't have one.

[Frozen Sky Ever Why]

TN is the worst state in the country. It is a badge of honor to be completely noncompetitive there.

[Roll Roons]

They lost winnable seats in the U.S. Senate and governorship in 2018.

Lol no. Those seats were absolutely not winnable for Democrats. Maybe (and that's only a maybe) if Bredesen was the sitting governor, a la Scott or Hassan. Aside from that, he was running in a favorable year for an open seat against a crazy partisan hack and didn't have residency/lobbying issues like Bayh. If BREDESEN couldn't win or even keep it fairly close under those circumstances, it's hard to see any Democrat having a path to victory. It's a shame, because it's good for states to have healthy competition.

As for the governor's race, Haslam was popular, and Tennessee voters probably figured Bill Lee would pretty much continue the path set by him. If it ain't broken, don't fix it.

[Yellowhammer]

Disband.

[Calthrina950]

They have none. Tennessee is gone for the Democrats, at least for the next twenty to thirty years, possibly even more. Maybe they can win an election there again...in 2094.

[smoltchanov]

Yeah, none. Too few Blacks and too many typical Southern+Appalachian white voters. The same - for Arkansas and some other states, probably...

[Skye]

Winnable? Bredesen was a popular former governor who ran a pretty respectable campaign without major blunders against an underwhelming candidate, during a Dem wave year, and lost by double digits. The Democratic candidate for governor ran several points behind him. The races clearly weren't winnable.

For now, the GOP would have to nominate a Roy Moore-tier candidate in order for a Democrat to win in TN.

[MT Treasurer]

Meh, Diane Black would have probably done worse than Blackburn in a gubernatorial race against Dean. It’s not impossible for them to win statewide, but it’s arguably the hardest state for a Democrat to win nowadays.

[Gass3268]

Wait for the continued growth in the Nashville area and the greater polarization between urban/suburban areas and rural areas. Probably gonna have to wait at least 20ish years.

[RINO Tom]

TN is the worst state in the country. It is a badge of honor to be completely noncompetitive there.

You continue to be a nice parody of yourself.  Tennessee rocks, and if even if you think it doesn't ... it is SO far from the WORST state in the country.  Bitter boy.

[Kevin]

None for now.

In this era of political polarization the TN Dems have as much a path forward as the CA or NY GOP do.

[Sir Mohamed]

Not much statewide options. A few mayoralities is all I see in the coming years.

[MassBlueDog]

Start from the bottom.  Focus on building up resources in the big 4 cities (Chatanooga, Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville), especially Nashville.  Try to find candidates that are pro-life, maybe pro gun (because those are the issues that drive Republicans from the Democratic Party). 

It'll take a while, but Tennessee will become competitive sooner than Arkansas or Alabama.

[TML]

Stop running Republicans in Democratic clothing.

[GM Team Member and Senator WB]

none as the current coalitions and conditions stand.

[wesmoorenerd]

Meh, Diane Black would have probably done worse than Blackburn in a gubernatorial race against Dean. It’s not impossible for them to win statewide, but it’s arguably the hardest state for a Democrat to win nowadays.

The irredeemable pit known as Arkansas says hello.

[smoltchanov]

Stop running Republicans in Democratic clothing.

Idiocy. Run "bold progressive" in present day Tennessee??. Only complete 101% fool can make such proposal...

[Frozen Sky Ever Why]

TN is the worst state in the country. It is a badge of honor to be completely noncompetitive there.

You continue to be a nice parody of yourself.  Tennessee rocks, and if even if you think it doesn't ... it is SO far from the WORST state in the country.  Bitter boy.

TN is a dull version of KY, a state with much more "flavor" and personality.

[Roll Roons]

Meh, Diane Black would have probably done worse than Blackburn in a gubernatorial race against Dean. It’s not impossible for them to win statewide, but it’s arguably the hardest state for a Democrat to win nowadays.

The irredeemable pit known as Arkansas says hello.

I'd say it's Idaho. A Democrat hasn't won a Senate election there since the 1974, or a gubernatorial election since 1990, and it hasn't shown any signs of trending left.

[Politician]

Meh, Diane Black would have probably done worse than Blackburn in a gubernatorial race against Dean. It’s not impossible for them to win statewide, but it’s arguably the hardest state for a Democrat to win nowadays.

The irredeemable pit known as Wyoming says hello.

[Xing]

Bronz, you are a LEGEND with these threads. You never fail to impress.

[Heebie Jeebie]

Wait for the continued growth in the Nashville area and the greater polarization between urban/suburban areas and rural areas. Probably gonna have to wait at least 20ish years.

Correct.  As a Tennessean watching this state's politics first-hand, I can confirm that Democrats have no hope at the state-wide level, and won't for another couple of decades.

[smoltchanov]

Wait for the continued growth in the Nashville area and the greater polarization between urban/suburban areas and rural areas. Probably gonna have to wait at least 20ish years.

Correct.  As a Tennessean watching this state's politics first-hand, I can confirm that Democrats have no hope at the state-wide level, and won't for another couple of decades.

My thinking as well...

[Pollster]

Their only hope is that Blackburn becomes as much of a joke as Cruz and that a Beto-type candidate who can generate endless free media and a tidal wave of small donations rises.